Sinkovic and De Jong win SilverSkiff

Martin Sinkovic ditched the double and went solo to win the 2023 SilverSkiff regatta in Turin, Italy. Croatian Olympic Champion Sinkovic is a SilverSkiff regular and has a slew of wins including 2016 through to 2021.

Last year Sinkovic was piped by Italy’s Gabriel Soares who set a course record of 40’16” to win the 11km single sculling head race.

Being the 2022 winner, Soares got to start the race in the number one position with each boat taking off at 15 second intervals. Sinkovic started in third behind Koen Metsemakers of the Netherlands and was never able to overtake Soares, but his finishing time was faster at 40’20”, just four seconds outside of the course record.

Soares, who medalled in the lightweight double sculls at this year’s World Rowing Championships, finished second overall and first in the men’s lightweight category. His time was 40’23”. Third for the men was Metsemakers with a time of 40’38”.

Sinkovic’s doubles partner and brother Valent is also a regular SilverSkiff competitor but had to pull out due to illness. Valent was due to start in place four, instead watching the race from the shore. Starting in 273rd position, Italy’s Giovanni Borgonovo recorded the fourth fastest time which won him the under 23 lightweight category.

First woman home, and 54th overall, Roos de Jong of the Netherlands finished in a time of 44’09”. De Jong began in first position as the defending champion. Just 42 seconds back, Diana Dymchenko of Azerbaijan was the second woman home.

Dymchenko is a regular at the SilverSkiff. Second in 2022, Dymchenko won the event in 2017. Next home in third position for the women was Valentina Rodini of Italy. Rodini also won the women’s lightweight category. Rodini started in 373rd spot after missing the 2022 race. She is a previous winner from 2019 and 2021.

The SilverSkiff had record entries this year with many of the athletes coming back year after year. This includes 87-year-old Carlo Zezza of the United States. Zezza took out the masters ‘L’ category and bragging rights as the oldest rower in the race. Zezza’s wife, Margarita won the masters ‘G’ category. The duo keep boats in Europe so they can compete in European head races as well as races back home in the US.

Media Relations Manager Giorgia Garberoglio says the beautiful autumn guise of Turin’s River Po appeals to the rowers along with the magic of it being organised by a group of rowing enthusiasts and the chance for champions and masters to compete together.

This is the 32nd SilverSkiff. It began as a race between friends and over time it has grown to become an international event. For 2023, 44 per cent of the participants were from outside of Italy, coming from 24 nations.

For more information: https://www.silverskiff.org/en/